[Dum dum duuuuum! Heh, hope you're not all too mad at me for leaving there. It was pretty mean, I know. But hey, I've gotta keep your interest somehow! Thanks xBlackVendettax (I think you're name's Vicky - sorry if I'm wrong, please feel free to correct me!) for commenting on my last piece, and Stargazer for the comments before! Keep the comments coming and let me know what you think Happy Reading ^_^!]
Keith looked around wildly, trying desperately to see where Andrew had gone. He wasn't anywhere that Keith could see and every second of uncertainty made him more afraid. Belinda was trying to push past him and he was doing his best not to let her go.
"Jack!"
Wait, what? Keith thought dumbly. And then he looked at where Andrew had been standing. Crumpled in a heap on the floor was Andrew and standing above him was Jack, holding a rather large piece of wood. He gaped at Jack, who was breathing heavily. Jack dropped the stick and rushed forward, panting for breath.
"We...have to...get...out of here! Come...on!"
"Keith, move it!" Belinda shrieked, grabbing his hand again. He followed, both a little dazed and dumb. "Keith!"
"Forget it, come on Belinda," Jack said, grabbing Keith's hand himself, and dragging him rather more forcefully and quickly than Belinda could. Keith soon snapped out of the daze and began really running with them, trying not to get out of breath. He didn't quite understand what had just happened but he at least grasped that whilst the immediate danger was otherwise incapacitated, they should try to put as much distance between themselves and it as possible.
A while later, when Belinda tripped for the third time, Keith decided it was enough distance for the time being. He collapsed on the floor next to her, panting wildly, looking p at Jack who was doubled over and wheezing. Evidently, Keith owed Jack a rather large debt of gratitude, but right then, he felt as though he was already paying it. Belinda was hugging Jack tightly, refusing to let him go.
"Bel...I'm okay...honest..."
"I know! I'm just so relieved! What the hell happened?"
"When you screamed, I was already looking up. And then he - was that Andrew? Jesus! I mean, you never told me he was that creepy!"
"I never knew he was that creepy," Belinda muttered, rolling her eyes. "Besides, that's not the point! I thought he had you!"
"Nah, I rolled out of the way. Not as cool as it sounds, actually," he admitted, wincing. "Did you know there was a pile of rocks not too far from us? Yeah, neither did I."
Belinda laughed, squeezing him tighter. She was so relieved he was okay, so happy that they'd escaped from Andrew that she was giddy. She tottered back over to Keith, crumpling in a fit of giggles next to him. Keith and Jack exchanged concerned glances before they both broke into smiles as well. They couldn't help it - her good mood was contagious.
"Hey, we'd better get moving again," Belinda said a little while later. "I don't really want him to catch up. And Maggie will probably be getting really bored now."
"Okay, okay," Jack and Keith conceded, Jack taking the lead again. Belinda walked alongside Keith, her tension completely gone. She was smiling again, a slightly triumphant look in the way her mouth tilted upwards. She was still a little jumpy (every time she thought she heard a noise, she would jump up and grab Keith's arm) but she seemed to feel better now that the immediate danger was gone.
When they finally reached somewhere that looked a little familiar to Belinda, she was getting another 'bad feeling'. She clutched Keith's hand this time, shuddering as they passed the swimming pool again. She tried to put as much distance between her and it but she still didn't like the way the water was stirring. Can pool water even stir? she thought uneasily. Her grip on Keith's hand tightened.
"Keith, can we swap places? I- I can't swim."
"It's not like you're going in-"
"Please!" she interrupted, her voice going high with stress. "Just, please, Keith, swap places with me! I-"
Belinda was cut off abruptly as Andrew appeared in front of them again. Belinda whimpered, her hand squeezing Keith's so tightly it went slightly numb. Not that he really noticed. Andrew looked slightly annoyed but, for the most part, at ease. He flicked a casual glance at Jack before turning back to Keith and Belinda.
"Now, that was rude," he said breezily. "I do believe I wasn't done talking to you. And I didn't much appreciate the bruise. Jack, I presume," he said, turning back to look at Jack properly. "Honestly, I don't get why you didn't run when you had the chance." There was a slight pause and then Andrew laughed. "Oh, come on! She can't be all that special, now, can she?"
Keith glanced at Belinda before giving all of his attention back to Andrew. He refused to be caught off guard again, refused to let Andrew control him. I fact, he was so absorbed in blocking Andrew from his mind that he didn't notice when Belinda let go of his hand. He did, however, notice the small splash as she fell in the water.
"Belinda!" Jack roared, surging forward, trying to shove past a smirking Andrew. Failing miserably, but trying none the less. "Get her out of there!"
Keith was not as immobile as Jack and wasted no time jumping after her, all other thoughts driven from his mind. He reached for her desperately, trying to call her name. He could hear her crying out, weakly as she was sucked under. And then, suddenly, he couldn't.
